Malagasy Turtle Dove

Overview

Malagasy Turtle Dove (Nesoenas picturatus) is a species of Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae) in the order Pigeons and Doves.

Scientific Classification

Genus: Nesoenas; binomial: Nesoenas picturatus; authority: (Temminck, 1813).

Distribution

Breeding range: Africa.

Conservation Status

This taxon is listed as Extant (living) in the IOC World Bird List.

Remarks

Move Malagasy Turtle Dove from Streptopelia to Nesoenas, before Pink Pigeon (Cheke 2005; BLI). The status of the Diego Garcia (Chagos Arch.) population is debatable. Originally described as a distinct subspecies N. p. chuni (Reichenow, 1900) it has subsequently (Benson 1970) been regarded as an introduced hybrid between nominate picturatus and the Comoros subspecies comorensis, and generally accepted as such. But given the consistent differences in plumage from other subspecies, and the unlikelihood of two different races being introduced into the Chagos and hybridizing to produce a distinct phenotype, it may actually be a valid race (Peters 1937; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012).